Discharge valve and nozzle for pressurized fire extinguishers



C. H. SMITH 2,620,381

DISCHARGKNALVE AND NOZZLE FOR PRESSURIZED FIRE Ex'rINGuIsHERs Filed Oct. 9, 1950 Dec. 9, 1952 FIG. I

CECIL H. SMITH INVEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 9, 1952 DISCHARGE VALVE AND NOZZLE non PRESSURIZED FIR-E EXTINGUISHERS Cecil H. Smith, Elmira, N. Y., assignor to American-La France-Foamite Corporation, Elmira, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 9, 1950, Serial No. 189,173

2 (llaims.

This invention relates to so-called pressurized fire extinguishers; that is to say, extinguishers of the kind charged with a liquid extinguishing medium and a gaseous propellant under pressure. The general object of the invention is to facilitate production of low-cost extinguishers of that type by providing a simplified discharge valve and nozzle unit, which, while economical to manufacture, is effective to maintain the pressure in the extinguisher when not in use and readily operated to discharge the extinguisher in time of need.

The invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a broken-out elevation of an extinguisher incorporating a. preferred form of the discharge valve and nozzle of the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the discharge valve and nozzle; and Fig. 3 is a section of a charging adaptor.

The discharge valve and nozzle, generally designated I, is shown applied to a container 2 within which there depends from the valve and nozzle unit the usual siphon tube 3.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the discharge valve and nozzle of this invention consists of a unitary L-shaped body, consisting essentially of two arms 4 and 5. The arm 4 has a bore 6, which is open at its lower end where it receives or is coupled to the siphon tube 3. The bore 6 terminates short of the upper end of arm 4.

The other arm 5 is bored to provide a, cylindrical chamber 1, which is open at its outer end but at its inner end is separated from the bore 6 by a wall 8. On the chamber side of wall 8 is formed an upstanding valve seat 9 surrounding a port ll] connecting the chamber 1 with the upper end of bore 6.

Within chamber I and having a sliding fit in it is a nozzle member H. At its inner end the nozzle member is reduced in diameter, as at [2, leaving an annular space [3 surrounding the reduced end of the nozzle member. At its outer end the latter is enlarged and flanged as at Hi. This enlarged outer end of the nozzle member has a relatively large bore l5 from which extends a through bore I6.

At its inner end the nozzle member has a valve disc I! secured to it, the disc in this instance being set in a recess in the end of the nozzle member and the latter spun over to lock the disc in place. The valve disc thus seals an the inner end of through bore I6 but the latter communicates with the annular space 13 by way of ports l8. To guard against leakage between the nozzle member and the adjacent wall of the cylindrical 2 v chamber during discharge, sealing means are provided, such as the sealing ring l9 set in a recess intermediate the enlarged outer end and the reduced inner end of the nozzle member.

Since the valve disc I1 is secured to the nozzle member ll, it is positively seated and unseated by movement of the nozzle member longitudinally of the chamber I; and this movement is effected by means of a nut member 20 having threaded engagement with arm 5 and at its outer end suitably interlocked with the nozzle member. As indicated, the outer end of the nut may conveniently be spun over flange M. The discharge of the extinguisher is thus conveniently started and stopped by the simple operation of rotating nut member 20, the exterior of which may be knurled as indicated at 2| or otherwise suitably formed or finished to furnish an adequate finger grip.

The nozzle member not only serves as a combined nozzle and valve but also afiords a convenient connection for an adaptor by which the extinguisher can be charged. For this purpose the enlarged bore [5 is internally threaded to receive the nipple 2| of a swivel-type charging adaptor of the form illustrated in Fig. 3. As there illustrated, the adaptor includes a body portion 22 internally threaded, as at 23, for connection to the source of supply of the medium with which the extinguisher is to be charged and having a centrally bored hub portion 24 extending through the nipple 2|. Sealing rings 25 are provided to guard against leakage during charging.

It will be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merely illustrative of the preferred form of the invention and that various changes can be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A discharge valve and nozzle for a pressurized fire extinguisher comprising: a unitary L- shaped body having in one arm a bore open at the free end of such arm and terminating short of the other end of such arm and a cylindrical chamber in the other arm of the body open at the free end of such other arm; an end wall separating the inner end of the chamber from said bore, said end Wall having a central port connecting the chamber with the said bore; a valve seat formed on the chamber side of said end wall surrounding said port; a cylindrical nozzle member slidably mounted in said chamber and having an enlarged outer end portion projecting beyond the outer end of the said other arm and a reduced portion at its inner end spaced from the surrounding chamber wall; sealing means encircling the nozzle member intermediate its enlarged outer end and its reduced inner end; a valve disc secured to the reduced inner end of the nozzle member for movement therewith; said nozzle member having a through bore closed at its inner end by said valve disc, including an enlarged, internally threaded bore section at its outer end, and ports extending from adjacent the inner end of the through bore to the chamber space surrounding the reduced inner end of the nozzle member; and a control nut encircling and having threaded engagement with the exterior of the said other arm and interlocked with the saidenlargedouter end portion of the slidable nozzle member.

2. A discharge valve and nozzle for a pressurized fire extinguisher comprising: an L-shaped body having in one arm a bore open at the free end of such arm and terminating short of the other end of such arm and a cylindrical chamber in the other arm-of the body open at the free end of :such other arm; an end wall separating the inner endof the chamber from said bore, said end wa11'having a central port connectingthe chamber'with the said bore; a'valve seat formed on the chamber side of said end wallsurrounding said port; a cylindrical nozzle member slidably mounted in said chamber and havinganenlarged outer end portion projecting beyond the outer end of I the said other .arm and a reduced portion at its inner end spaced from the surrounding chamber wall; sealing means encircling the nozzle member intermediate its enlarged outer end and its reduced inner end; a valve disc secured to the reduced inner end of the nozzle member for movement therewith; said nozzle member having a discharge bore open and enlarged at its outer end'and 'ports extending from adjacent the inner end of the bore to said annular space; and a control nut encircling and having threaded engagement with the exterior .of the said other arm and interlocked with the said enlarged outer end portion of the slidable nozzle member.

CECIL H. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 229,695 Granger July 6, 1880 1 ,600,481 Nadig Sept. 21, 1926 2,351,376 Ward June 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 420,348 France Nov. 21, .1910 

